Now that I have spent a few months in Austin, I truly feel I have accumulated a solid list of recommendable locations to get meatless meals. Today, I'll be going over brunch options I have enjoyed the most, including both exclusively plant-based spots and restaurants with the option to customize entrees to accommodate dietary restrictions. If there is a great place I happened to miss, leave a comment below to let me know and I'll share my opinion after trying it out!
Kerbey Lane Cafe
First on this list is Kerbey Lane Cafe- a favorite local chain of mine, with many locations scattered across Austin. It is open quite literally 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to satisfy your cravings for a nice plant-based bite. Breakfast here just isn't complete without their signature veggie chorizo, composed of the perfect combination of seasonings to leave you coming back for more. My top pick on their menu is the Eggs Francisco with poached eggs, avocado, tomato, bacon substituted for their veggie chorizo, and their infamous queso atop an English muffin, of course. Kerbey Lane is also known for its seasonal pancake flavors, so keep an eye out for them. If you don't consume dairy or eggs, you'll love their Vegan Breakfast Platter. It comes with a tofu scramble, two Dr. Praegers veggie patties, green onions, and fresh diced tomatoes. It is also served with two half-size Vanilla vegan pancakes.
Community Vegan
Pictured above is the CVS Waffles, featuring southern deep-fried mushrooms, waffles laced in maple syrup, a side of fruit, and sweet potato waffle fries. Genuinely unforgettable and one of the best breakfasts in Austin so far in my experience. you will find an overwhelming level of options for plant-based diets at Community Vegan's food truck for brunch and beyond. Some other highlights to start your morning include a chik'n and waffle sandwich, a southern-fried chik'n and egg biscuit, and the BME (a vegan BBQ bacon, vegan egg, and cheeze on buttery biscuits).
Snooze AM Eatery
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, is a breakfast chain with locations found in CO, CA, AZ, TX, NC, MO, GA, TN. Their circular hashbrown are iconic, and I always enjoy their eggs benedict! The Smashed Avocado Benny is great if you enjoy poached eggs, especially when you add the Soyrizo. Their Soyrizo is quite tasty and packs a lot of flavor in; I would highly recommend adding it to whatever entree you decide on.
Biscuits and Groovy
Gloria's Latin Cuisine
This is more of a fast-casual option you can find both in Austin and in 800 other locations across the United States. One of my favorite combinations for a plant-based breakfast bite is the Southwest Wrap, featuring a chipotle mayo, spinach, eggs, and tomato with the chicken substituted for their plant-based protein. There are many items where the meat in a menu item can be easily substituted for their Beyond Meat chicken strips, and their nutritional guide additionally notes which options are vegetarian or vegetarian-friendly with a V. If you're also in the mood for a smoothie, my personal favorite has been the Bahama Mama for years now.
Citizen Eatery
Citizen Eatery is a fully vegan restaurant in Austin, serving up breakfast all day long in addition to lunch and dinner entrees. Among their breakfast meals, my recommendation would be the Breakfast Sandwich, including scrambled JUST egg covered with sausage crumbles, golden gravy, tomato, arugula on a maple-butter glazed bun, and skillet potatoes on the side. There is a lot I can share about their delicious options outside of breakfast, so definitely expect Citizen Eatery to pop up in another post about plant-based bites in Austin soon.